Recently I've noticed a small number of modified VW Golfs being driven around (by young lads obviously) without front numberplates. Does anyone know what this is about? I thought this was illegal in this country, aren't they worried about getting pulled over by the first police car that sees them?

Only VWs without front plates or are there other cars too? How are they modified, like test mules? Maybe they are testing the cars (if they are concealed prototypes )

I'm just talking about mildly customised cars, ones with body kits and big exhausts, the kind of cars that boy racers (or people who want to look like boy racers) drive. I doubt anyone outside of the UK will know the answer to this so I'm really only asking the other British members of this site.

The "other British member"? Is there really only two? I could have sworn there were many more

@Neptune: even test-cars and prototypes have to have plates (I think, in the UK it's the same as in all other European countries), when they are driving on public ground. It doesn't matter, if the have a regular registration or just dealer's/garage's plates, but there must be any kind of plate.
Only on fenced, private ground you are allowed to drive vehicles without registration.

@G-Mann: I guess, it's the most simple reason: te guys are doing something illegal.

How are the punishments in Britain for these delicts, riding without, with invalid or faked plates?
In Germany they are quite hard, because over here a license plate has the same status as a document (due the silver sticker on it), so it's similar, as you were faking a passport.

P.S.I've seen, that in Britain even every vehicle on gated airports have license-plates. It seems, that for the British law these places are seen as public, too.
In Germany vehicles on airports don't need official plates, when they were used only there and never leave that area.

I imagine you'd get a fine for not having a front numberplate. After all, it would mean you could go through speed cameras without them getting a shot of your registration.



That might be because at some point they might go on a public roads.

maybe they don't like the plates and would rather get the fine, I live in NC (which doesn't have front plates) but I live right on the VA line (VA does require front plates) A lot of my friends live in VA and chose not to display the front plate as it takes away from the aesthetics and most police officers don't bother them (even if they did most just have to put the plate on or get a very minimal fine.) This is especially pertinent to the "boy racers" here so they dont have to drill holes in there front bumper/body kit.

In Belgium you can have the front plate on sticker instead of a real plate, it it can be useful in some cases too.